Questions and Answers

We’re mad about bicycles. But specifically bicycles as transport. Good Rotations is a boutique bicycle shop in Wanaka, offering hand picked quality bicycles.

I don’t know what kind of bike I want/need. Can you help?

No problem! A good start is to look at the Bicycles and Shop pages of our website and see what categories and styles of bicycles we have, then come talk to us. Remember, our focus is bicycles as transport including cargo, urban, adventure and electric bikes, so if you’re looking for a new downhill rig or carbon race machine, we’re not really the shop for you.

Are electric bicycles road legal in New Zealand?

Yes! To be able to ride your e-bike legally without a licence the motor should be below 300 watts, although this rating is a bit misleading, since any motor can be modifed to limit the top speed it can travel. Having a bigger motor will give you more grunt for the hills, but be wary of the wattage legal limit.

Can lithium batteries be recycled?

Yes they can. While your lithium battery can last a very long time if treated properly, eventually they will get tired and you will want to replace it. They can be collected and recycled responsibly. Contact us for more info on where and how you can recycle your batteries.

What about those cheap electric bikes?

There are lots of cheap electric bikes in stores all over the country.

Most of them are made in China, and are poorly specced (sometimes downright dangerous!). What may look like a bargain can often lead to disappointment in the longer term. More expensive e-bikes will have higher quality branded components and come with better motors and reliable and better performing batteries. The rule of thumb with electric bikes is like most purchases: you’ll never regret buying quality, so rather than jump at that impulse buy, hold on a bit longer and put some more money aside if you can. You’ll have a better e-bike experience for it.

Does pedalling charge my battery?

Some systems have regenerative braking, that will give a small top up when you use your brakes, similar to a hybrid car. However the weight of a bicycle and rider is quite small and the amount of time spent braking is fairly low, so the return isn’t really worthwhile. Charging your battery is very cheap, that’s part of the beauty of electric bikes!

If I get a (non-electric) cargo bike, will I be able to make it up hills if I’m carrying stuff?

Well that’s a loaded question (sorry…), but in general you should be able to carry a good load, like the weeks shopping or a couple of younger kids, on your daily route without much drama. Of course you’ll have to push a bit harder up the steep hills than you would on a carbon road bike, but you’ll make it! Cargo bikes are all about the trip – you won’t win speed records, but you’ll arrive with a big grin.

I’m really interested in something you don’t carry. Can you get it for me?

Maybe. We believe in only doing what we’re passionate and knowledgeable about. If we’re out of our league, we’ll tell you and point you towards someone who can help you, even if that’s a competitor. Our “soft rule” is that we don’t sell road bikes or mountain bikes with suspension. But some of our bikes are close to that definition…

Do your bikes come with warranties?

All bikes sold at our shop come with full warranties. And most problems can be fixed in-house.

Is there any assembly required when I buy a bike from Good Rotations?

If you buy in our shop, no, we do it all for you.

If you buy online, then yes, a little. Bikes come 95% complete with just a few simple adjustments to get going. It depends on the exact model, but typically you can expect to screw on the pedals and fix the handlebars, front wheel, saddle, fenders and lights to the frame, using a few simple tools (not provided). Our recommendation: take your new bike to a local bike shop and ask them to inspect your final assembly before you ride it.

Do you offer layby, or finance?

Sorry, we don’t offer layby. Our shop has only opened beginning of January, but we may offer this service in time.

We do not offer financing either, but we do take Visa and MasterCard credit cards. (We of course also welcome cash and Debit cards!)

Do I have to wear lycra?

Absolutely not! We never do. One of the best things about riding a bike is that anyone can do it. All you need is a bike, and you! In fact we’d go so far as to encourage you to dress your classiest when out perambulating on your velocipede. A dash of tweed wouldn’t go amiss either.

Do you sell biking specific clothes?

Soon we hope to be able to offer a small selection of non-sporty looking bicycle wear, that looks just as good off the bike. This being said, you should be able to wear any kind of clothes when biking into town!

I keep on getting flat tires...WHY?

A very common question – although Babu will tell you she only had 2 punctures in her whole 37 year long career of cycling in towns around the world! Causes can include: worn tire with thin casing, tire with something still embedded in it, tube with leaking patch, bad rim tape or a busted or faulty valve. There are some great puncture resistant tires, and inner tubes out there that make getting a flat much less likely.

Someone told me electric bikes are heavy, is that true?

Maybe you’re also wondering ‘what if I install a motor kit on my existing bike, how much heavier will it be? Will it be hard to ride?’

An electric bike has to carry a motor and a battery. Together, they will add on average around an extra 8kg. Electric bikes you’ll find on the market will often feel heavy compared to normal bikes, but if you’re relatively strong/tall, you will still be able to lift it to fit it on a bike rack, etc.

If you are very frail or weak, you may find it harder to get going on an electric bike at first. But keep in mind that the motor will help you once you are moving. It’s just the “getting on or off the bike” that could be strange initially. If you are unsure, we recommend you come and try one of our demo bikes. Most people get the the hang of it in no time!

Can you electrify the bike I already have?

Yes. In most cases we can add a Lekkie electric motor kit to your current bicycle. Three main things to consider are:

Is it worth it? i.e. is your bike of good quality and will still last you a few years? If not, consider getting a new bike – you’ll get more from your motor. We can offer bike and motor packages from around $3000.

Is there room on the frame to attach the battery? Usually we attach batteries inside the front triangle of a bike frame (or on the seat tube under the saddle for ladies or step-through bikes) – so we’ll have to make sure this is possible. If not, there are still other options such as fixing the battery on rear rack, in a pannier or on a seat-post mounted rack for full suspension bikes. We would discuss these options with you.

For mid-drive motors: these can be fitted to any standard bottom bracket (68 and 73mm), provided there is clearance for the motor (there nearly always is).

There will be a few more things to consider, in particular if you’ve got hub gears/brakes. An easy way to make sure it will work is to come by our shop with your bike, or email us a photo!

I want to buy an electric motor kit for my bike, but I’m not sure if I should get a hub or mid-drive motor. Help!

If you have hub gears or hub brakes, you will only be able to use a mid-drive motor.

If you have a complete aversion to having to fiddle with gears, and prefer a simple to use bike, we recommend hub-motors.

If you want to pretend you ride at the speed of light with no electric assistance, get a hub-motor, and hide your battery in a pannier… no one will ever guess you’re not superman/woman.

If you often carry heavy loads up steep hills, we recommend the mid-drive motors: you just keep pedalling with not much more pressure on your pedals, and you’ll just go up hill like a breeze.

I love to work on my bike. Do you think I can install a motor kit and battery myself?

If you’re used to servicing your own bike, have a minimum of tools (you’ll need: allen keys, wheel nut wrench, screwdrivers) and a bit of time to spare, you’re more than likely to be able to fit it yourself. You need to know that Lekkie motor kits are under warranty for 1 year if you install it, and 18 months if a “Lekkie-approved dealer” (such as Good Rotations) installs it.

So, you have 3 sizes of batteries to choose from. Which one is right for me?

You are right, our Lekkie motor kits come either with Hub (Explorer) or Mid-drive (Summit) motors, and the batteries come in 3 capacities. You will not go faster with a bigger battery, but you will go further on one charge.

So you need to consider how many kms you want to do on a charge, and where you may be able to recharge your battery (for example at work). It takes about 3-4 hours to recharge a battery.

You know best what your usual daily ride might be. Do you just go to work and back? Do you sometimes go to do your groceries after work or visit a friend? Just add up all the kms you’d do in a day and make sure you could do them on one battery charge. (Google Maps is great to figure out kms of a route!)

You also need to remember that if you barely ever pedal, your battery will empty much faster than if you pedal a lot, and only use the full power of the motor for the up-hills.

Battery size and km range

13AH battery = approx 30km-45km on one charge.

14.5AH battery = approx 40km-55km on one charge.

17AH battery = approx 70km-85km on one charge.

What is a Watt Hour (Wh) in terms of e-bike power?

The watt-hour (symbolized Wh) is a unit of energy equivalent to one watt of power expended for one hour of time. In relation to e-bikes, this gives us an easily comparable unit by which to measure the power/range of an e-bike system. The Watt Hours of a battery are calculated by multiplying the voltage (V) of the battery by it’s Amp Hours (Ah): so a 36-volt 10-Ah battery pack has 360 watt hours. You’ll need around 10-12 Wh per kilometer, depending on terrain and rider weight, but that should give you a guide to how much range your battery will give you.

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Good Rotations is your urban and adventure bicycle specialist. We believe bicycles make the best mode of transport – they enliven daily routine, inspire adventure, and keep us sane!
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